Acys-5 (Oral)

Generic name:acetylcysteine (oral route) [ a-seet-il-SIS-teen ]
Drug classes:Antidotes, Mucolytics

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 24, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Acys-5
• Cetylev

In Canada

• Acetylcysteine

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution
• Capsule

Therapeutic Class: Acetaminophen Antidote

Chemical Class: Amino Acid

Uses for Acys-5

Acetylcysteine is used to help prevent or lessen liver damage caused by an overdose of acetaminophen.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using Acys-5

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of acetylcysteine have not been performed in the pediatric population. However, no pediatric-specific problems have been documented to date.

Geriatric

Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of acetylcysteine have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving acetylcysteine.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how of...